What blade should I be using for sawing thick ash?

[Frank Pellow]

I'm sawing the sides of a box out of thick ash.  It's 4 centimetres (a little more than 1.5 inches) thick.  I find that I am breaking and/or bending and/or burning LOTS of blades.  I've tied both Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse UR5 and Olson Double Reverse 9RG blades and neither has worked well.  It's the Olson blade in the attached photos.

[hawkeye10]

Frank I can't believe I am giving you advice but here goes. I would try FD UR #7 or 9 slow your feed rate down and maybe slow your saw speed. Ash like oak is tough and it being 1 1/2" thick makes it a bugger.

[Scrolling Steve]

Frank, I recently cut some 1 1/2 red oak with a FDUR #7 blade.....took my time and had the EX21 at about 3/4 speed......I will say that I have never cut Ash so this may be out of line?.....Good luck !

[Dan]

I don't cut that thick but FD HD blades are designed for thick, very hard wood. I would think that may be your best choice. I'd be willing to bet Olson also have a blade for your need.

[ike]

olsons makes a FR4900 blade for thick hard woods it is a skip tooth blade

IKE

[Roberta Moreton]

ummm...Packing tape? I would put packing tape on the top and bottom of the piece.  JMTC

[Sycamore67]

I would use an FD Polar 5 or 7.

[Lucky2]

Ash is a miserable wood to cut, it's very hard and it burns very easily. Slow feed rate, and a #7 blade and you should be set.

Len

[amazingkevin]

I tryed cutting ash before and it was too hard for my liking.

[kywoodmaster]

I really like the Olson PGT series blade in a #7 or #9 for thick material.

[WayneMahler]

Seems general consensus is a #7 or #9 blade. I agree with the feed speed, slow the feed rate down and let the blade do the work. I think cutting thicker wood requires more patience to get the results. I have had success with a crown tooth blade as well as an UR. I do set my saw speed up a bit though like maybe 3/4 and just let the blade do the work. Ash is a good hard wood but requires a little finesse to get through. Keep us posted on your progress please.  

[don in brooklin on]

I just finished cutting a bunch of 1.5 maple and I was breaking a blade at every turn.  I covered all sides with packing tape and the problem stopped.

 

I was using a FD UR-5. 

 

Maple is not "grainy" as Ash but it was very hard.

 

I have also had luck with thick wood with Polar blades.  #5 and 7. 

 

Don

 

PS:  I have some Polar #5 if you want to try.

[stoney]

I just finished cutting some 1 1/4" white ash with FD-UR #7 blades.   I would also suggest covering at least  the top with packing tape. Yeah, I found out cutting thicker hardwoods is a whole new ballgame.   Something else that seems to help is stopping the cut momentarily every so often that allows for the sawdust a chance to clear which also seems to help keep the blade cooler.  Also like others have said patience is a requirement for cutting thick hardwoods with a scroll saw.   Good luck Frank. 

Edited December 13, 2016 by stoney

[Paladin]

I would give the FD polar blades a try.  I use them to do some compound cutting in thicker hardwoods and they stay much cooler and don't burn the wood.  At least a #5 or possibly a #7.

 

Steve

[NC Scroller]

I have used ash before and it is very hard to cut especially that thick.  What I would do is to apply clear packing tape to both the top and bottom sides.  I would use a FD Polar blade in size 7 or 9.  I would change blades every 4-5 minutes.  Finally slow the blade speed down to a mid range.

[Frank Pellow]

I thank everyone who responding so quickly and with such good advise.  I was able to follow some it right away by slowing everything down.  Once having done that, I completed the job using the FD UR9 blades and breaking only one more of them.

 

I'm quite happy with the end result (seen in the attached photo).

 

In the short term, I won't be making any more of these boxes.  But, longer term I will be making some and will avail myself of some of the blades you have recommended before doing so. 

 

Don, I will take you up on your offer to try the Polar #5 blade.  Please bring one the next time that we plan to meet (by the way, I brought the block of Avodire that I am giving you to breakfast earlier this month but forgot to give it to you.)

 

 

[olddust1]

If you are sawing straight cuts for a box I would think a band saw would be better.

 

John

 

Old Dust

 

[Denny Knappen]

On wood that thick, I use FD Polar #7 or #9.  Polar removes the saw dust better than FD UR.

[Jim Finn]

I really like the Olson PGT series blade in a #7 or #9 for thick material.

That is what I would try.  That blade will outlast any FD blade I have tried.